Atkins to Play RNC Welcome Party

Rodney Atkins has been named as the headliner for the 2012 Republican National Convention’s welcome party, set for August 26 at Tampa’s Tropicana Field.

The invitation-only event officially kicks off the political convention, which will be held Aug. 27-30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. A total of 2,286 delegates and 2,125 alternate delegates representing all 50 states, DC, and territories will be in attendance, as well as roughly 15,000 media personnel.

Organizers are planning supplement the musical entertainment with some memorable visuals as well.

“It’s going to be something that’s so unique, people are going to be talking about it until the next convention,” Tampa Bay Host Committee president Ken Jones told the Tampa Bay Times.

Other performers scheduled for the welcome party include The Voice’s Karla Davis and American Idol’s Shannon Magrane, a Tampa native.

In other Atkins news, his single “Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)” (from 2006 album If You’re Going Through Hell) is featured in The Bourne Legacy, which hit No. 1 at the box office after its release on Aug. 10.